Para sport review: May 2018

World Shooting Para Sport World Championships

Slovakia’s rifle specialist Veronika Vadovicova and Iran’s pistol queen Sareh Javanmardi left Cheongju, South Korea, as double world champions. Slovakia’s 16-year-old Kristina Funkova had never reached a podium but won Worlds gold in the R9 (mixed 50m rifle prone SH2) with a world record score.

Para Triathlon World Cup

Spain won seven of 11 events at the second World Cup of the season on home soil in Aguilas. Great Britain’s Jade Jones-Hall and Joe Townsend repeated their Commonwealth Games success with victories in the third World Cup in Eton Dorney.

ICF Para Canoe World Cup

Rio 2016 Paralympic gold medallists Great Britain's Emma Wiggs, Australia's Curtis McGrath and Ukrainian Serhii Yemelianov all paddled to victory in Szeged, Hungary.

Cycling Road World Cup

Dutch cyclists shone in the year’s first World Cup in Ostend, Belgium, from 3-6 May, as they claimed seven gold medals to finish top of the standings.

World Para Swimming World Series

Lignano Sabbiadoro was the first Italian venue to host the World Series, attracting more than 260 swimmers from 31 countries. Apart from the hosts domination, US and Brazilian swimmers also show great form.

World Para Athletics Grand Prix

Belgium’s Peter Genyn was in blistering form as he set two world records in Nottwil, Switzerland. Australians Rheed McCracken and Madison de Rozario were also in record-breaking form.

In Rieti, Italy, Paralympic and world silver medallist Niamh McCarthy smashed the European record in the women’s discus F41.

China’s world and Paralympic champion Cuiqing Liu was the standout performance at the Beijing Grand Prix as she broke a 10-year-old world record.

World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships

Ukrainian Mariana Shevchuk made history in the women’s up to 55kg by lifting an unprecedented 130.5kg to set a new world record in Berck-sur-Mer, France. Another standout performance was that of Konstantinos Dimou of Greece, who set a European record of 230kg in the men’s over 107kg. Hosts France celebrated two golds.

Sao Paulo Regional Open

Brazil celebrated boccia glory on their home court, with Maciel Santos, Evelyn de Oliveira and Eliseu dos Santos winning individual golds.

Judo Pan American Championships

Canadian judokas celebrated double success as Priscilla Gagne and Justin Karn put in perfect performances at their home Championships in Calgary on 20 May.

IBSA Blind Football Euro Challenge Cup

Hosts Poland were crowned champions in the third edition of this event held in Krakow following a 1-0 victory over Ireland in the final.

Mainhatten Cup

Home crowd had plenty to celebrate as 2017 World Championships silver medallist Erik Machens, won his signature event, the men’s single class 2, in Frankfurt, Germany, on 19 May.

International Para Rowing Regatta

Paralympic champion Roman Polianskyi had a strong start to the year in Gavirate, on Lago di Varese in Italy.

Japan Open

Yui Kamiji and Gordon Reid claimed the men’s and women’s singles titles for a second successive year in the Japanese city of Iizuka.

Women’s Para Ice Hockey Cup

Erica Mitchell goal gave the USA a 1-0 victory over Canada and the gold medal in the second edition of this event held in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Wheelchair fencing World Cup

Hungarian fencers dominate the event as 11-time Paralympic medallist Zsuzsanna Krajnyak, Gyongyi Dani and Amarilla Veres emerge victorious in the individual events in Montreal, Canada. The country also claimed gold in the women’s team sabre.